Cpap after surgery

I had my followup visit with the pulmonary doctor today after my sleep study. I was asking him what precautions should be followed when I have a planned gall bladder removal. He said that it is imperative that patients with sleep apnea have their machines with them for post surgery. He said that quite a few post op deaths are from the pain killers given to us "bad breathers" and that the cpap must be put on even if we seem awake if we are given pain meds. He also suggested that I put that information on my flash drive that I carry with my medical records and Rx's. Seems like a good idea to me and thought I would pass it on. I have a restricted airway anyway so the thought of not having my cpap to lie down, much less sleep, is frightening. Oh, and I had to have my machine pushed up to 14 from 12. Does that mean I'm getting worse or just older, or both? I did try the new Swift LT at the lab and it was too heavy when I was sitting up to read while getting hooked up but think it would be very comfortable to sleep in. That's what I ordered from the DME this time in any case.

My sleep doc as well as my orthopedist insisted that my machine go with me to the hosp. for knee surgery. My machine was labeled with my name and given to the folks in the recovery room. However, they forgot to hook me up and then went berserk when I developed bradycardia while I was sleeping. After I got to my room on the floor, my DH really put the pressure on them to get the thing going. Eventually, someone recovered the CPAP from recovery, threaded the oxygen hose through the mask, and then awakened me up enough so that I could put my mask on. I can still remember people standing around watching me in my drunken state as I fumbled around getting my mouth taped and the mask straps locked. And then someone came in every couple of hours to wake me and question me about whatever so that I had to remove the mask and tape to answer them. It is a wonder that I didn't kick the bucket due to that episode in the hospital. When I have minor surgery in January, there will be a solid understanding of how and when the CPAP will be used. It is even more apparent to me the necessity of taking responsibility for one's own treatment.

I totally agree, have that CPAP on when on pain meds. I had my gall bladder out in October, and knew I had apnea but had not had titration so was not on a machine yet. In recovery, I apparently stopped breathing a couple of times because of the pain meds, ands sats when to low 80's. They had a nurse beside my bed in both recovery and in the room after recovery had to keep telling me every few minutes to breathe and take deep breaths to get my sats up. I know in the past I have had problems with breathing when on heavy pain meds, so have been very reluctant to take them.

I will be absolutely sure to have CPAP with me on any planned surgeries, but did not think about putting it on my MedicAlert info. Also need to get a flash drive setup for both hubby and me.

I know that I've seen flash drives that are red with the Medical symbol like the Medic alert bracelets but don't remember where. I just carry a regular flash but keep it in the pocket with my drivers license and insurance card. I have written on it with a Sharpie "Emergency medical information".

One thing I would suggest is ask the doctor BEFORE being admitted to the hospital to write on the orders you are allowed to have your cpap on. When I went to the er last spring and they admitted me I asked my daughters to bring mine. The catch was that the doctor had NOT put an okay on my chart to use it and they would NOT let me without orders. I did tell them I had to have it on due to severe sleep apnea and they did get the orders but I would hate to think that I had surgery and then couldn't be hooked up due to simple case of not having the order on file.

My pulmonary doctor gave me an RX for the cpap for the surgery so I just scanned it to a Word document and added it to my flash drive. His Rx specifies that Cpap is needed for use with pain meds or if unconcious.